email 5/28/12

rainy season

Email highlights 5/28/12                   

Hey mom I miss you and the family so much. I love you all so much, too. You guys are so amazing. I hope everything is well and send my greetings to all the family in Tucson!!! I’m glad you got all my pics. Yes, I sent tons of them, I know, sorry, haha. But how is everything at home? Everyone done with school yet?? Thanks for the email of everyone. It is rainy season here, its been raining A LOT hah its cool though, I love it a lot and I love my area, it’s so fun. I cant believe it’s almost transfers!!!! It’s flown by, its swwweeeeett I can’t wait to get all my packages, I should get them tomorrow, but we’ll see fingers crossed!! I can’t wait to see what’s inside!J ) I love you all so much and happy to hear ur all good and having fun in Tucson!!J ) I love you all more than words describe..farther than the deep blue sea runs and more than the ninja turtles love pizza!J ahha I love you all!!!J )

　

　

　

Letter dated 5/20/2012 (received 6/15/12)

Dear Family!

How is everyone? I’m doing grand-tastic! I can’t believe it’s already been a week since I called home and talked to you, it feels like just yesterday! CRAZY! But this past week has been sweet! Didn’t teach too many lessons, but it’s okay, we did our best, they just fell through - that happens sometimes. Sooo no problemJ . Had a baptism on Saturday, I was “John the Baptist” LOL. Our baptism on Saturday, started at 4 p.m. then out of nowhere a GIANT storm blew in, out of nowhere! It was crazy! You could seriously see the dark start to cover the light, it was crazy, but by the time it was baptizing time it started POURING!! And our font is outside, so I baptized Joseph and Rebecca, both 20+ in the rain, it was really really coolJ !! We didn’t leave til 7 cuz of the rain, it was cool though!! Came home to our area where we live - power was out, only our area, it was out all night, didn’t come back till after 3 in the afternoon today, it sucked! But today was cool, went to Sofokrom, my ward, and took sacrament, then we left and went to a unit of about 15 people, if that, and had the rest of church with them, then taught a girl named Rich, she’s cool and smart, too, so it’s sweet!J So, all in all, I’m great, having a lot of fun and learning tons! I love you all! Be safe and know you are all in my thoughts and prayers and heart!

Love & Hugs from Africa! XOXO

Love,

Elder Cody Randall

letter and email 5/14/12

Letter dated 5/14/12

Hey Mommy!

Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mom!J I hope your mother’s day was really good! What did you guys eat for dinner? Yesterday was amazing! I love talking to you guys! Everyone sounds like they are doing good. The kids sound like they’re growing up & I’m missing it! But, I love you ALL! Like I said on the phone, I’m doing great and having the most fun I can! I definitely miss you guys more than anything! The first like 5 mins of our call I was like shaking with excitement! It was sweet as you probably could tell, I’m working hard and learning A LOT! Sorry about the purple ink, it’s kinda the only one I’ve got left. Lol But today we woke up around 8 and then I made an onion and egg sandwich and ate it, it was yummy! Then we deep cleaned the apt so now it’s nice and spotlessJ It’s nice. IDK what else we’re doing today, it’s 12:30 now, so ya, idk, but I LOVE YOU!!J Something I forgot to tell you is there is a dance here called Azonto (as-zone-toe). It’s weird, but I can do it. I’m pretty good at it and whenever the songs play to dance to in market and stuff, I dance, so some people know me as Azonto man, or Kwasi Potakoo LOL. It’s funny! I’m enjoying, can’t wait to get my letters and packages. I love you and THANK YOU sooooo much! All my love from Africa. KIA KAHA!

Love,

Elder Cody Randall

　

Email highlights 5/14/12

I freaking loved talking to u yesterday, too, I miss my moommmmmmyyyy!! But I love you all so much and Nwoko was so happy to talk to you he had a huge smile on his face. Idk if u heard him, but he said, “I love Elder Randall and we are working hard together”. You’re right, who doesn’t love me?? LOL jk, but I love you and miss you all so much. Good timesJ ) But thanks dad, I love you all and im learning a lot, haha.

I know it’ll be a long time again before we talk, but the time should fly, I hope. The next time we talk I will only have a year left.)) aahh go go go!!;)) but ya it was so great to be able to talk to u all on the phone, it was awesome!;) but you know me I’m doing my best with my journal. Kinda slacked, but ive been writing in itJ haha, but its all going well;)) I m going hard and working fast getting it done!!J ) I love you all so much and tell everyone hi and I love you and sending my hugs from Africa to home!!!!

Highlights of phone call from Mother's Day 5/13/12

Highlights of phone call from Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012

Cody sounded sooooo good!! He is really loving it there, and focusing on the missionary work he has been sent there to do. He says that Takoradi (the closest “big” town) has a garden mart where he can get things like cheese and m&m’s. haha. But things are much harder to find there than in Cape Coast or Mankessim. He gets 140 cedis for his monthly allowance, which is about $90.00.



He eats a lot of chicken and hotdogs. They make spaghetti with hotdogs. He says they are packaged and safe to eat.J They make a lot of stew, and egg sandwiches. They also eat fufu and banku, matsu (rice ball), soups and fish. He has eaten chicken, goat, antelope, pig, cow, and rabbit.

The houses are mostly mud huts, shacks, or made with stone/bricks. They don’t have a/c, so the have slits cut into the sides of the house (I assume between the stones) to allow the air to move through the house. Sofokrom has a really long dirt road to get to it. He doesn’t have a bike in this area, so they walk everywhere. It is less humid here than it was in Mankessim. He is still very close to the coast. His apartment is pretty nice he said. They have showers and water filters so they can drink the water. They sleep in mosquito nets.

He had a lot of scriptures to share with us. Dustin called him the “scripture encyclopedia”. Definitely not something the pre-missionary Cody would have done much. I told him he was getting so smart. His reply was, “there is nothing else in the clutter of the world on my shoulders”. WOW!

A few words he shared with us - abudum = dog; agemwa = cat; apanchi = goat; ahcoco = chicken; aheem = how much; apontini = male goat (the most disrespectful name that you can call someone there).

He still asks for a lot of food for his packages. He wants chocolate chips, garlic salt and seasonings, mashed potatoes, instant gravy, instant alfredo sauce, candy, protein powder, jerky, cake mixes, brownies, twizzlers, pop tarts, tuna - so I continue to send him packages with primarily food in them. If you have seen any pictures lately of him, he keeps getting thinner and thinner. What else is a mom to do?!

He loves letters, but it can take several weeks for them to get to him. Keep writing himJ

He has a Nigerian companion. They work hard together. I got to speak with Elder Nwoko for a few minutes. He has a very heavy accent and was hard to understand. But they get along great, and they were companions in the MTC, so that is really cool. That doesn’t happen much apparently.

It was so great to talk to him!!! We talked for 2.5 hours. I had to miss church, but it was totally worth it!! It was so hard to say goodbye. But I am so proud of him! He is experiencing things that most of us can’t imagine. He is an amazing young man, and his Mom is sooo proud!!

email highlights 5/7/2012

Hey Mom!
My week is great!!!! I'm in a village called Sofokrom, or Kojokrom, whichever you can find. It's next to Takoradi. I'm in Takoradi now ahha it's cool:] I'm in a new cafe it's sweet, so here are some pics, i don't know what the order is, but here are some:) and I sent my pics home, too, so u'll get them soon!:]] Its sweet and a lil less humid than Mankessim. I like it alot and its not like Mankessim at all. In Mankessim you can find everything and here u cant find hardly anything. i mean, in Mankessim i could find anything like foodwise i wanted, but here it is bush so i have to hunt and when i find it its higher prices haha. but oh well. I have a place in my area thats an island. I have to take a canoe to get to it:] Yea a canoe!! and its a canoe by a man wanting money, aha, but its cool!
I'm feeling tired at the moment, working hard and today for p-day we played some football, soccer and basketball. It was FUN!!:]
My apartment here i think, is better, but its nice:) living with Elder Hopkins from Utah,  Akpan from Nigeria, and Nwoko from Nigeria, my MTC mate!:]]. It's sweet, i'm enjoying!
We are a ward, it's nice to have an actual building ahha. but i'm having fun, and i'll be calling shortly, don't worry!!:]]
I'm about done, times up here, so I love you and enjoy the pics!:]] but i love you mom, ur amazing. Tell everyone hi for me:]]] LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, Elder Cody Randall

email highlights 4/30/2012

Hello mom! I am doing great! I have some BIGGGGGGG news!
I am being transferred to a place called "co-joe-chrome" idk how to spell it, but that's where I am going to be with my mtc companion Elder Nwokko!! Crazy stuff!!!!! I guess it hardly ever happens (that he gets to serve with his MTC mate) but it's cool:) and it happens this Weds! idk how far it is yet, but ya i'm goin there:) It's close to a place called Takoradi.
I'm excited but heck yes, i'm super sad to be leaving Mankessim. I love it here!! but hey "I'll go where you want me to go"!! Martin is staying and training a new guy.
My p-day was awesome. We played soccer again and I'm really good at it now:) I scored today and i'm an amazing defender:) aha jus sayin:) but it was alot of fun:) now I have to go home and do wash.
I baptized 5 people and 3 others from the other areas:) it was really really cool:)
I read Lauren's talk and it was sweet:) that girl is powerful:)!!
Please tell Ryan to send music to me please:) and send it in a flash drive please:) I bought a speaker, it's sweet, it plays flash drives, sds, and cds. It's cool, basically everyone has one, so that's why I got it:) But ya music in a flash drive would be amazing from him:) tell  him i'd appreciate it alot!!:))
And, i'm sorry, but i thought i told you about my birthday, so i'll tell you now...i woke up at 6:30 a.m. to a boy named Herbert throwing a package full of goodies - soda, pringles, yummy stuff- and said HAPPY BIRTHDAY RANDALL! i was so happy, it was cool and it felt like i was back at home:) then we went out and taught and it was good, then we had some good fufu:) mmmm it was a great day, but i missed you guys alot! It's crazy to think that I celebrated my birthday in AFRICA! You never could have told me in a million years that I was going to go to Africa and have my 20th and 21st birthdays. I would've been - ya right, you're crazy!!
POWERFUL!:)) (he's referring to his dad baptizing a friend this Saturday)
Sweet, i love letters:) i did get some from the Eckersleys but i've been so busy i haven't replied:(
I sent Terri's letter to you, so you will have to give it to her.
I can't wait to talk to u all!:)) be safe and know that i love you all so very very very much!!!!:)) LOVE AND HUGS FROM AFRICA!!:))))

E-mail highlights 4/24/2012

Hi Mom!
I had a great week, and I'm feeling good:) and the Dr. really didn't say anything just that I didn't damage my rotator cuff, but nothing more. but I got x-rays so we will see what they say soon, if anything, but i feel good:)) We had a sweet p-day:)) we went to the beach then made brownies after the beach:) They were so good everyone that was there says to say thank you!:)) So yes, I got your package and Terri's, sooo good, thank you so much! (that's how I made the brownies).  And I don't care if it was melted, chocolate is chocolate!:) so good:)) ahah and Terri's package was yummy, and bunch of cookies:) so good!:))  And yes, some jokester stuff - it's cool:) haha i wrote her, don't worry!
The teaching is great, we taught alot of lessons, like I wanna say almost 30 lessons last week:) it was tight!
It sounds like u guys are having alot of fun without me. hah some ribs and bathing the dogs and nice cool days playing sports...oh man I'd kill for that!!! but i'm jealous haha, I wanna be home enjoying!::))) But, I'm here enjoying haha and having fun!! I don't think I can skype, but i will let you know. haha i'm excited to talk to everyone!!:))) and lucky missionaries, they don't know what they get to enjoy!! But that's cool. It sounds like a busy week. haha fun:)!
We are preparing 5 people for baptism:) it's sweet!!:) I am excited! we should have them baptized on Saturday:) yayaya ahahah:)
I love you Mommy:) Be safe and have a great week! ur baby boy is ok and he loves u!:)) very very much, i can't wait to talk to u, i miss you so much!! but again, be safe and know that I am good!:))  Sorry about not writing u lately, been busy:/ but i wrote us this week:) so no p!
I love you again. Tell the family hi for me too:)))

email highlights 4/16/2012

Hi Mom!
I am feeling great:) aha kinda feeling fat actually lol but i'm great:)! AH MY WEEK WAS GOOD!
Working hard preparing 5 people for baptism:) There are two 21 year olds, an 11 year old, a 12 year old, and a 15 year old:) aha its cool:)!! For p-day we went to Cape Coast and went to the beach and played catch for a bit and just hung out on the beach it was fun!:))) Soon, I promise, I will be sending my pics. I will not send any now cuz the stupid computer has viruses and gave my card a virus last time i sent pics, so ya, i almost lost all my pics :(( sorry, but soon, i promise!!!:) I do need a new card. I have 2- 8 gigs and a 4 gig and i'll be sending one home. so ya lol but today was sweet:) after the beach we went to the zone leaders apartment and we made chicken burritos mmmm i'm a good cook:) it was yummy and now we are back in Mankessim emailing:)  Umm no packages yet but maybe tomorrow or next week. And the next package you send I need another deodorant stick, shampoo, maybe some sharpie pens - red, blue, and black:) the thin ones:) please, coloring gets me by when the lights are out. Um, also stamps, a few more pens, and also both lined and blank paper:) So just a supply package, feel free to throw in like the cake batter mix and the brownie mix and cookies?:) and the bacon bits:) ahah jus sayin:)) love them:)))))
And ya, i know the time it just kinda seems to pass by when i don't think about it, ha working my butt off pays off. haha. But I did get Grandpa's letter, and i wrote him back:) I've just been writing you and the family is all, no one else really, i'm too busy, so if someone wants a letter they can write me first LOL but i'm doing great:) Easter was good, had some amazing fufu it was sooooo good:))
My companion is tight, he's from Texas and he's cool:) Me and Adair are pretty close now (the other guy in the apartment) and ya I am sorry about the short letters and stuff but we are super busyyyyy!
And i swear i wrote you a letter about my bday, but it was a good bday and no i didn't make the cake from ur mix, i usually just make the mix and eat it like ice cream lol but it's good:)!! and yummy!!:)) thank u!!:)))))) um i did have a cake, sis. martha, a member makes cakes and she made me one for my bday:) mmm it was good:)) But I eat all the mixes like ice cream:) hah the big ones, Betty Crocker, are the best, like the cake u sent omgosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:))))) Everyone enjoyed them, i'm so giving:) And I know it's not good for u at all but it tastes sooo good:))!!!
Its sounds like you've been super busy, sorry i'm not there to take that EXTRA load off. I love you too mom:) Have I told you lately?:) haha i hope all is amazing :)  i have to go so i love you and i miss you. Be safe and have a great week!:) Oh, and i'm going to the hosp tomorrow to get checked up on from the accident so i'll let you know what's up:) i'm fine though:)  loves and hugs from Africa to Vegas!!!:)))))))  kia kaha

Hi Dad!
Wow! That's a neat experience, ya life is good here and the saviour helps out all the time, even when we think he doesn't he is always there:) always!:) I taught on Tuesday and gave an instruction on how to be more Christ-like. It was a powerful lesson. I prepared it a day before cuz i've been so busy. The spirit is so powerful it helps u so much to grow and learn and help others to learn. U really need to listen to the still small voice it's there for the better and will always keep u on the straight path and help you to choose the right and let u know for yourself the things u r learning are true and the things are not just words. It's a sweet promise. Even recently i just bought a small notebook to write scripture references:) it's cool if u ask me, i'm excited to have 2 years to fill it:) but i do have a question to ask- where is the spirit world? Brigham Young talked about it in one of his talks and said something so maybe you can research it:) ha just an idea. There are some nights we stay up and just have deep talks on doctrine. It's sweet. I'll come home and do the same with you. I love you and pray for u and the family each night. We are preparing 5 people for baptism it's sweet and exciting:) have a sweet week and be safe:) i love you!:)